IF you have the misfortune to be delayed for six hours on a train make sure it is in Germany.

That is the message from Jennifer Preston, of Darwen, after she was caught in gales that swept across Europe at the weekend.

Jennifer, 20, of Sunnyhurst Lane, was travelling on a train from Bergisch Gladbach to her home in Lneburg, where she teaches at a school, when it ran into trouble.

The train could not continue because of leaves and trees on the line and then the electrics went.

When the problem was finally fixed the train did not reach its destination and she was stranded 50 miles from her home.

This story may not seem out of the ordinary but the train company's actions after the delay may strike North West commuters as not just being from a different country but from another planet.

The Bangor University language student said they first made sure every passenger was well fed and then they promptly sent everyone home in taxis with a £20 voucher.

Jennifer was on the 6pm train to Lneburg when it ran into trouble.

It was supposed to get in at 11pm, but she didn't get in until 5.30am after the taxi took her home from Hamburg.

She said: "We were treated so well, it certainly made a difference to this country."

Jennifer's mum Linda, 45, said she was just relieved that her daughter had got home safe.

She said: "I watched the storms in Britain on TV and feared the worse."

Seven people died when gales of more than 70mph hit England on Sunday.

Trees were blown down and roads across East Lancashire were affected and train services across the country were still affected by the aftermath of the weather today.

Brian Grey, of the passenger group Rail Future North West, said he was not surprised by the story.

"Britain is the 'scragend' of Europe," he said.

"In countries like Germany and France they are just better at doing this type of thing."

A spokesman for Arriva Trains Northern said they had provided taxis and hotels where necessary in the past but judged each case on its own merits.

Denise Lennox, acting commercial director of First North Western, said: "We kept our passengers on the move as much as possible, and provided additional coaches.

"In other circumstances, taxis were organised for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, disabled or passengers with children."